Lensman captures artistic and magical world of gastronomy

Through the lens of American photographer Ryan Matthew Smith's camera, food has never looked so artistic.

Smith, who was trained in fine arts, has made a name for himself as principal photographer and photo editor of the six-volume, 2,438-page Modernist Cuisine, a set of books about molecular gastronomy that recently hit the shelves. 'I love landscapes and portraits, but for food, it's such a static medium. There's a lot of room to explore in food photography,' he said.

Hongkong Land's annual Taste Matters campaign this year includes 16 of Smith's images in a showcase on the flyovers connecting The Landmark, Alexandra House and Chater House in Central.

'It was a really exciting experience,' he said of the book project yesterday. 'Anything I have in my brain, I can make it happen in the studio.'

To create one ideal shot, he enlisted a marksman to shoot half a dozen eggs with a sniper's rifle while Smith broke more than 20 wine glasses. 'You don't want me in your kitchen. It gets quite messy,' he said.